Like a Mockingbird Makes Music
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: One-shot, set after Revengeance. The world was full of people who wanted nothing but to fulfill their own selfish agendas. Fortunately...their greed was combated by those who desired nothing but to please others. Raiden's son...was one such person. Raiden/John family. Revengeance spoilers.


**I DO NOT OWN METAL GEAR OR HARPER LEE'S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD**

**Hello :D! So first off, this fic has Revengeance spoilers. It takes place after Revengeance during Raiden's "down time". If you haven't beaten the game and don't want to be spoiled, do not read past this sentence because I am about to make a spoiler comment :). (Spoiler) Ever since Raiden mentioned that he's a movie buff, I've wanted to do a story about him and John having a movie night. This story is heavily centered on the book/movie To Kill a Mockingbird so if you do not like that story or don't want to be spoiled regarding its events, you may not want to read. Anyways, sorry for the insanely long author's note and please enjoy XD!**

**X**

"Have fun!" Raiden called to the pretty brunette woman from the doorway of their house.

Rose pulled the car door shut. Smiling, she waved at her husband. Then, she proceeded to back out of the driveway. She pulled onto the road, maneuvered onto the left side, much to Raiden's relief, and took off.

Raiden brought a hand up to shield his blue eyes from the early evening sun. An untrained individual would never guess that one of those eyes was, in fact, robotic. In fact…to the casual scan…his entire body looked normal. He had pale skin, ashen blonde hair, and a lean but muscular build. It was a rather striking appearance, but nothing completely out of the ordinary.

Dressed in a long-sleeved navy blue shirt and grey jeans, he looked like an average man with a family. In reality, however…he was a cyborg from the lower jaw down. He was quite literally a war machine….a tool of justice. But now…he was on a break. He finally had some time off and was able to spend some much-coveted time at home.

Tonight, it was just him and his son. As much as Raiden enjoyed spending quality time with his wife, he was always pleased when she was able to indulge in a "girl's night out." This was partially because of guilt. Although she had been perfectly gracious about the move, Raiden still felt some remorse at being forced to relocate his family to New Zealand. It has been a necessity to do so because of his job and the dangers it posed. There were many changes to grow accustomed to in a foreign country, changes even more drastic than driving on the left side of the road. Therefore, he welcomed the nights when Rose could go out with some of her New Zealand girlfriends.

The second reason for the cyborg's contentment…was his son, John. Now twelve years old, Raiden's son was beginning to grow into the young man he would one day become. The child was intelligent, kind, and adventurous. He easily accepted anyone and everyone. Most people looked at cyborgs as if they were aliens…but John did not. He had always accepted his father, seeing him as a "comic book superhero" ever since he was five years old.

Raiden loved the boy dearly. It often irked him that he had to spend weeks, sometimes months, away from John. Once, the fear that prolonged separation would create an awkward rift between them crossed his mind. Such a worry turned out to be superfluous. Every time the world-weary father returned home, his little one was there, beaming with excitement. It worked wonders to melt away the battle-induced ice weighing on his core.

Closing and locking the front door, Raiden started toward the heart of the home. The white-walled building was small, but he did not mind. As long as Raiden had his family, he would be content.

As he drew closer to the living room and kitchen, the cyborg was struck with a familiar aroma. He inhaled deeply. The enticing smell of buttery popcorn flooded his smell receptors and he smiled. It didn't take skybox seats at some football game or expensive concert tickets to entertain him. A good, old-fashioned movie night was heaven to Raiden any day of the week.

Excited by the enticing odor, Raiden quickened his pace until he reached his target location. The living room was small but cozy. Pale cerulean paint coated the walls and the floor was cushioned by white carpet. A single window allowed for a view of the outside world. Currently, it was concealed by curtains of a dark blue color.

The only other accessories decorating the walls were a few family photos. In fact, the room was significantly bare, save for a few pieces of furniture, a DVD case, and good-sized television. Raiden liked it this way. It meant there were few things to distract him from films.

Collapsing onto the cream-colored couch, Raiden fixed his eyes on the coffee table in front of him. A smirk played on his lips at the sight. He couldn't even make out the dark surface of the table because it was overrun by junk food. There were packets of gummy worms, licorice, M &M's, Skittles, tortilla chips, nachos, pretzels, cheese dip, and various other things that Raiden could not make out near the bottom of the hoard. Most of the food had been brought over from America. The stash was only accessed on nights like these. It had become something of a tradition in the small, content family.

Raiden reached into the bag of gummy worms. He pulled out a green and yellow one since he knew that John only liked the red worms. Biting off a hunk of the candy, he savored its tangy taste. He would always be grateful to Doktor for developing taste receptors for him and adding in his ability to digest real food. While it seemed easier for one to eat a glucose nutrition pack and be done with the business, Raiden had missed the sentimentality of enjoying food.

Footsteps padded in the tiled hallway. Gnawing on the other half of his worm, the cyborg glanced over his shoulder. What he saw…was a tower of popcorn with legs. Or, more specifically, John carrying two massive buckets of popcorn one on top of the other so that he was only visible from the hips down.

Seeing this, Raiden chuckled. "You sure we've got enough food here?" he teased.

John set the bowls down on top of some of the bags of candy. He gave his father a toothy grin. "Can't be too careful," he replied, standing to his full height.

Raiden was always struck by how tall the boy had gotten. When they had first met, John had scarcely reached as tall as Raiden's thigh. Now, his head came up to just below his father's collarbone. His hair, the same white-blonde as Raiden's, had grown a bit longer and more unruly. He looked more and more like Raiden every day, especially with his current attire of a navy T-shirt and black sweat pants. His chestnut-colored eyes, however, were and always would be the same as Rose's.

Tossing a piece of popcorn into his mouth, John went over to the DVD case. He reached inside and began rifling through the plethora of films.

"So, what are we gonna watch first?"

Raiden shrugged. "I'm in an action-y mood. You pick."

"Action, huh?" John tossed a grin over his shoulder. "Okay then."

The boy ran his eyes over the titles. He then selected two movies, apparently a series. He popped the first disc into the DVD player, turned on the television, and flicked on the lights. Then, he plopped down on the couch beside his father.

Darkness ruled the room, save for the glow of the television screen. It was just like being in a movie theater, only on a smaller scale. Raiden handed John a bowl of popcorn. He took the other for himself, settling back into the plush recesses of the couch. The opening credits scrolled across the screen. Raiden glanced over at his son.

"No talking during the movie, right?" he grinned.

John turned to look at him and Raiden nearly burst out laughing. The boy had stuffed his mouth with as much candy as it could hold. His cheeks swelled like a chipmunk's and he had a red and orange worm dangling from his jaws.

"'ot a 'oblem…" he replied incoherently, eyes sparkling.

The cyborg translated that as "not a problem". Chuckling, he took another handful of popcorn. No…with all this junk food around, he had a feeling that keeping his son's mouth stuffed would be easy.

XXX

Four hours later, the males had munched and battled their way through Ghost Rider and Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance. When the movies started, John had been at the very end of the couch, his eyes glued to the screen. He was twelve years old, after all, and needed his "grown up" space. By the time they reached the halfway point of the second movie, the boy had migrated to only inches away from his father.

During times of epic action, he would look up at the man with those russet, wonder-filled eyes. When frightening scenes overtook the screen, he would unconsciously grab Raiden's arm. Raiden was sure he had no idea he was doing it. He would have been extremely embarrassed otherwise. The soldier did not point it out so as not to mortify his child.

By this time, it was ten o'clock in the evening. Rose was still out with her friends. She had texted Raiden during the opening scene of movie two to let him know that she would be late coming home. He was glad that she was enjoying her time with her friends so much. She had been cooped up in the house for a long time now. Even so, his stamina was waxing worn…

Raiden yawned and pressed the stop button. "I don't think my brain could handle another action flick," he laughed. "I am supposed to be on vacation after all."

John peered at the clock on the DVD player. "But it's only ten o'clock. And it's Friday night! C'mon, Dad, we can't go to bed. Mom's not even back yet."

Raiden gazed fondly upon his son. In spite of his protests, there was an undeniable sleepiness darkening the child's eyes. John may have been twelve but he was still exactly that…a child. If they viewed another thriller, the boy's body would feel fatigued while his brain was wired from adrenaline. As a parent, Raiden had to be conscious of such things.

Still…it seemed somehow wrong to deny John the pleasure of one last movie…this boy who had brought Raiden nothing but joy with his presence all evening. It was an odd feeling…as if killing John's hopes would be some sort of sin.

"All right," Raiden consented, dragging his sluggish form over to the DVD case. "But I'm choosing the next one."

"Yes!" John punched the air in triumph.

The cyborg's fingers ran over the plastic spines of the movies. He scanned each title, searching for something relatively calm. The Avengers? Unlikely. King King? Not quite. Godzilla? Heck no.

Then…his eyes landed on a rather old DVD that had not been watched in quite some time. He tilted his head thoughtfully. It was a black and white classic with likeable characters and an intriguing mystery. Originally a book, the story was no doubt one that John would eventually have to read for school. In spite of that…it had a reasonably enjoyable plot…

"It's decided then…" he muttered to himself, playing the disc.

Raiden made his way back over the couch and practically fell into it. "Amazing how watching tv for four ours straight will make even a cybernetic body feel lethargic," he remarked.

"What're we watching?"

A black and white picture materialized on the screen. Raiden cast John a sideways smile. "To Kill a Mockingbird."

John frowned in perplexity. He looked at the TV. His eyes studied the image devoid of color and his ears absorbed the slightly muffled sound.

"Oh yeah…it's based on some book, isn't it?"

Raiden nodded. His son's nose wrinkled. "It's really old, isn't it?"

"Came out in 1962," Raiden affirmed. He ruffled the boy's hair, adding, "It's a good movie."

Doubt flickered across John's face. Raiden smirked.

"Hey, King Kong is pretty old and you liked it. You wouldn't have understood this movie when you were younger, but I think you're old and wise enough to get it now."

A flush darkened John's face…a flush of pleasure. Though he strove to conceal it, John was clearly thrilled at the prospect of impressing his father. It forever pleased the boy to make the man happy. Raiden was aware of this and it always made him smile.

As the movie unfolded, John's interest was hooked quickly. He laughed at the antics of the main characters, Scout and her brother Jem. He listened with fascination to the eerie mystery of Boo Radley, the supposed lunatic of the neighborhood. His eyes were glued to the screen as Jem crept about the grotesque Radley house, nearly getting shot in the process.

"Whoa…" the blonde-haired youth murmured. "Boo Radley MUST be an evil creep."

Raiden arched his brows. "Oh?"

"Well, yeah," John gave his father a befuddled look. "I mean…that lady said he stabbed his father in the leg with scissors."

Raiden gave a coy smile. He didn't want to spoil the ending…but he couldn't deny himself the luxury of being a bit ominous.

"We'll see," he remarked, casually folding his arms behind his head. "Just remember…people don't always tell things exactly the way they are…and things aren't always what they seem."

The cyborg felt his son's curious eyes on him. He avoided eye contact, keeping his enigmatic smile plastered on his face. Finally, John "hmmd" pensively and turned back to the television.

More time passed. Soon, Atticus Finch, heroic father and lawyer, was presenting Scout and Jem with toy guns. Raiden had never given his own child such a plaything. After his own childhood horrors, he hadn't liked the idea of his son handling a gun, toy or not, while he was still so young. Even so, he knew that John could relate to the scene…for Raiden had taught him much in the ways of the katana.

As he reflected upon this, Raiden listened to Atticus's speech, "Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em. But remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

Out of his peripheral vision, the soldier saw his son frown thoughtfully.

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy," Atticus continued. "They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

By this time, John was no longer watching the screen. He was staring down at his lap instead. His eyes were narrowed in intense contemplation. Raiden watched him for a few moments, eventually deciding not to question him. He would come out with whatever he was thinking soon enough.

A grave stillness fell between the two males during the trail scene of Tom Robinson. An innocent man who did nothing but work and help others, Tom was pronounced guilty during his first trial. The verdict was a disgusting, prejudicing one.

Throughout the heart-wrenching scene, John's face grew contorted. He probably would have cried had he been a bit younger…but he was far too old for that now, according to the sacred "code of twelve-year-old boys."

"If I was there, I would fight off all those guys persecuting Tom," he said softly.

Raiden gazed upon him. He was a boy with a valiant heart…a heart that strove to protect and please others. He ran a hand over John's prickly hair, muttering, "I know you would…"

The movie progressed toward its climax with the events of Tom's tragic death and an attack directed toward Scout and Jem. Of all characters, Boo Radley emerged as the hero. He rescued both children and revealed himself as their mysterious benefactor of many summers.

Scrutinizing Scout's interaction with Boo, the cyborg could not help but smile. The misunderstood man facing the youth he had saved, afraid that she would shun him…and the child beaming up at him with admiring adoration. It rather reminded Raiden of his first meeting with John.

The clock had struck midnight by this time. John's eyelids were beginning to sag. Raiden too felt the vice of fatigue beginning to tighten around him. He also knew that Rose was on her way home and would desire to see both her exhausted males ready for bed. The movie was wrapping up at an ideal time.

John's voice came out as little more than a whisper. "I was thinking earlier that Tom was like a mockingbird…and Boo turned out to be one as well. They did nothing but try to make people happy. Killing Tom was awful…and killing Boo would have been as well."

"That's right."

"Y'know…I think I know a few mockingbirds."

"Oh, really?" Raiden's lips curled into a smile. He too had thought of a mockingbird in his life…but he was curious to hear his son's thoughts.

John was barely able to keep his eyes open. He stared drowsily at the screen, its pallid light reflected in his brown eyes. "Yeah…" he murmured. "…Sunny…and Dr. Emmerich. All they do is create stuff to make our lives better. It would be terrible if someone hurt them."

Raiden considered this. He had never really thought about it before…but John was right. He recalled the fight with Metal Gear Excelsius…and Sunny's sorrowful voice in his ear.

"_In the end, nothing ever changes. Science always ends up being used for war…" _she had said.

"_No, it's like any weapon,"_ the cyborg had assured her. _"It's only a tool. It's all up to who wields it. Not everyone has their own selfish agenda. Some people, like you, are making a difference…for the better." _

She and Otacon desired nothing but to create useful tools for soldiers fighting to protect their country…their loved ones. It would be wrong to harm them for their efforts to help mankind simply because evil men took advantage of their inventions.

"Y'know, you're right…" Raiden said, turning to look at his son.

There was no response. Leaning his head against his father's arm, John had fallen fast asleep. A deep chuckle resonated from the soldier's throat. Carefully, he slid his arms beneath the boy's relatively light form. He got to his feet, lifting John into his arms with a gentleness that seemed uncharacteristic for a cyborg.

The child's young face pressed against his father's shoulder. His breathing was slow and quiet. Raiden carried him through the halls to his bedroom. It was a small space filled with action figures, comic books, and life. Raiden laid his child down on the bed. He pulled the deep blue bedspread up to John's chin.

John's face was a mask of peace. His father could just imagine the dreams dancing through his head…superheroes and good vs. evil, the twelve-year-old fighting to save those who could not help themselves…endeavoring to make those people happy. Little did he know…that he had already done exactly that for someone.

Raiden sat down on the edge of the bed. He surveyed his son's sleeping face, smiling warmly. Time and time again, John had brought him nothing but joy. He knew that the boy was as susceptible to selfish acts as anyone else…yet…

"Seems like your sole purpose here is to make people happy…" the cyborg murmured, placing a hand atop his boy's head. "…just as a mockingbird exists to make music."

**X**

**Probably a bit cheesy, but I had fun writing it :). I hope you liked and please review! Please no flames. Also, I know a lot of people don't like Ghost Rider…please don't bite me, it's my fave Marvel movie haha :3. **

**I DO NOT OWN METAL GEAR OR HARPER LEE'S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (OR MARVEL'S GHOST RIDER, GHOST RIDER 2)**


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